NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2 – Deputy President William Ruto has dismissed the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security’s hearing on Wednesday as a ploy to settle political scores using false and cooked data.
He said the Interior Ministry choreographed its appearance in Parliament with the intention to unjustly conduct his lifestyle audit.
He denied the claims that he owns some of the properties itemised by Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
“Sadly, they forgot to enumerate some of the other properties that I own like shares in Safaricom and Kenya Airways,” said Dr Ruto.
He said the move, if genuine, should be extended to all leaders. The Deputy President, while terming it a non-issue, said the number of officers guarding him was grossly exaggerated and meant to smear his name.
However, Dr Ruto noted that it was regrettable that the issue at hand had been sacrificed at the altar of political propaganda.
Dr Ruto said some leaders had opted to engage in non-issues instead of participating in the issues that affect millions of ordinary Kenyans.
“Let us engage and work together towards making Kenya a country of possibilities. We must create jobs and support enterprises to sprout and flourish. That way, we will tame poverty and take Kenya back to the growth path,” he explained.
The Deputy President spoke on Thursday during a meeting with grassroots leaders from Bahati, Subukia, Nakuru East, Nakuru West, Molo and Rongai Constituencies at his Karen Residence in Nairobi County.
Susan Kihika, David Gikaria, Irungu Kang’ata, Mathias Robi, Kimani Ichung’wa, Gathoni Wa Muchomba, Rahab Mukami, Wangui Ngirici, Cecily Mbarire, Nimrod Mbai, Kimani Ichung’wah, Millicent Omanga, Kipchumba Murkomen, Silvanus Osoro and Rigathi Gachagua were among the MPs present during the engagement.
But for Kenya to be taken back to its development trajectory, Dr Ruto asked leaders to be progressive.
He said they should decline to participate in the politics of hate and division but rather invest in buildingpolitical bridges and establish national parties that will prosecute Kenya’s development agenda.
The MPs warned that selective application of the law could hurt the country’s unity.
They observed that the so-called “lifestyle audit” on the Deputy President was malicious and fake.
Mbarire said it was unfortunate that most of the Cabinet Secretaries had for the past four years elected to fight the Deputy President.
“They are liabilities in this Government. We will not fall into their trap of dividing this country,” she said.
Gachagua said other leaders had ganged up against the Deputy President because he was popular among millions of ordinary Kenyans.
Ichungw’ah said it was time Kenya refocused its attention from the Deputy President to the Big Four agenda.
“We wasted four years promoting and coercing Kenyans to rally behind the retrogressive Building Bridges Initiative. Now that we have 10 months to go, let the President attend to his legacy. Failure to do that, he will leave office a disgraced man,” said the Kikuyu MP.
On his part, Murkomen argued that leadership in Kenya had been cheapened and risked plunging the country to a further economic crisis.
“We are so incompetent that at a time of economic challenges and COVID-19 pandemic, Cabinet Secretaries are converging to discuss about the Deputy President.”
He called on President Kenyatta to bring to order his government, a statement that was echoed by Mr Osoro.
“We must engage in people-centred issues. As a country, we must stop petty politics on the Deputy President and focus on the revamping of our economy,” he added.
Wa Muchomba said it was not time to talk about who owns which parcel in which corner of the country.
“We know too well the politics of land. It is a huge chapter. We will ask pertinent and very hard questions,” she explained.
